CVE-2022-2981 in Download Monitor Plugin
Summary
by MITRE • 10/11/2022
The Download Monitor WordPress plugin before 4.5.98 does not ensure that files to be downloaded are inside the blog folders, and not sensitive, allowing high privilege users such as admin to download the wp-config.php or /etc/passwd even in an hardened environment or multisite setup.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/28/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2981 affects the Download Monitor WordPress plugin version 4.5.98 and earlier, representing a critical access control flaw that undermines the security boundaries of WordPress installations. This issue stems from inadequate validation of file paths during download operations, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive system files through privilege escalation. The flaw specifically targets high-privilege users such as administrators who can leverage this vulnerability to access critical system configuration files including wp-config.php, which contains database credentials, authentication keys, and other sensitive configuration parameters that could compromise the entire WordPress installation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the plugin's failure to properly validate and sanitize file paths before initiating download operations. The plugin does not enforce directory traversal restrictions or implement proper file access controls that would normally prevent users from accessing files outside the designated download directories. This allows malicious actors with administrative privileges to craft specific download requests that bypass normal file system permissions and access control mechanisms. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in hardened environments or multisite setups where additional security layers should normally prevent such unauthorized access patterns. The flaw enables path traversal attacks that can be exploited to retrieve system files such as /etc/passwd on unix-like systems or other sensitive configuration files that could provide attackers with critical information about the underlying system architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposure of wp-config.php provides attackers with database credentials and encryption keys that could lead to complete system compromise. Attackers could potentially escalate their access to other systems within the network, especially in shared hosting environments or when WordPress installations are part of larger infrastructure deployments. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multisite environments where multiple WordPress installations share common infrastructure, as a successful exploitation could potentially affect multiple sites within the same network. The flaw also impacts hardened environments where additional security measures such as restricted file permissions and network segmentation are expected to prevent unauthorized access to system files, rendering these protective measures ineffective against this specific vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-2981 should prioritize immediate plugin updates to version 4.5.98 or later, which contain the necessary security patches to address the path traversal vulnerability. Organizations should also implement additional defensive measures such as restricting administrative privileges to only essential personnel, implementing web application firewalls with specific rules to detect and block suspicious download requests, and conducting thorough security audits of all installed plugins to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include monitoring for unauthorized access attempts and implementing proper logging of download activities to detect potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing file access controls at the server level to prevent direct access to sensitive system files, and establish regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar path traversal vulnerabilities in other software components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and follows attack patterns described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1078 Valid Accounts and T1566 Phishing techniques, as it leverages administrative privileges to gain unauthorized access to critical system resources.